Lisa Bernardin
In 1985, I was in a major car accident and sustained significant brain trauma that affected my executive functioning. I had difficulties with problem solving, decision making, and organizational skills. My brain had changed and I was perplexed by the differences in my behavior and wanted to learn more. In 2005, I read a book about the history of brain science, which fascinated me and led me to want to learn more about how the brain can be remodeled. I found out about the International, National and Regional Brain Bees in 2009, when there were about 35 Brain Bees around the country. There was no Brain Bee in Vermont, so I set out to get one established, which required two things: the support of expert neuroscientists in the judging process and at least three high schools participating in the event. My search led to a collaboration with my hometown’s Middlebury College and the University of Vermont, which had excited graduate students and neuroscientists eager to bring this goal to fruition. I then secured participation from three high schools – Champlain Valley Union, Middlebury Union and Mt. Abraham Union High Schools – and on February 13, 2010, we held the first-ever Vermont Brain Bee!